Killing Me Softly
by Akora Felstream
Summary: A songfic with our favorite itchy witch. R&R! Rated T for Jenks' language, however light it may be.


I do not own any characters in the Hollow's series. All rights are to Kim Harrison. Enjoy!

_Strumming my pain with his fingers_

_Singing my life with his words_

_Killing me softly with his song_

_Killing me softly with his song_

I pulled my coat tightly around me. It was getting colder out now that fall had come. Night had fully settled comfortably over the city. I stood across the road from the night club debating with myself. I knew he would be there, the little rat. Nick had called, and I was going to meet him, face to face. The club wasn't the kind you party at, it was one of those little spots that played jazz or whatever, a place for singers and bands to get their first taste of stardom or just have fun knowing they wouldn't get far.

I took a deep breath. I looked both ways before crossing the road. It wouldn't look good to get hit by a car before I had a chance to confront my ex-boyfriend. Ivy was already there having snuck in earlier and was keeping her head down. My disguise charm helped, but who knows if she was actually using it. I never did understand why she was so jumpy around my earth magic. At least it hadn't been a demon curse.

Jenks hissed at me, tucked away warmly in my scarf. "Tink's tities, Rache! Get your witch ass inside before I freeze to death!" It wasn't my idea to take them along, but Ivy and Jenks refused to let me go see him at all. This was the compromise.

I ignored him. He wouldn't die, maybe. He would just hibernate until spring when he thawed out. I moved quickly. Five months was a long time to live with a church full of pixie children without Jenks to keep them in line.

_I heard he hang a good song_

_I heard he had a style_

_And so I came to see him_

_And listen for a while_

_And there he was this young boy_

_A stranger to my eyes_

I slipped inside and slunk into a table near the back. I couldn't see Ivy, but I knew she would be in here somewhere. The small stage was empty except for a stool and a mic stand. The place was packed. Tables scattered around the room had at least two people to them, some as many as five, all pressed together to be able to see the stage. No Nick.

Jenks zipped from my scarf as I unwound it and did a quick survey before settling in the rafters where he had a good view and kept a look out.

There was applause as someone took the stage. He had his head down, his brown hair a little long and shaggy, in a stylish way that a lot of humans wore these days. He strode to the stool, guitar in hand and took a seat. His knees showed through rips in his light blue jeans. A dark green button down dress shirt over a plain white undershirt completed the look.

I couldn't have known.

Nick lifted his face and placed his guitar on his knee, leaning on it as he spoke into the microphone, his voice deep and nervous. "This is about a woman I loved, a woman who made my life hell…" his eyes were traveling the room, looking for me. My blood ran cold. "I hope someday she knows what it's like to be humiliated and used."

He went silent and strummed.

_Strumming my pain with his fingers_

_Singing my life with his words_

_Killing me softly with his song_

_Killing me softly with his song_

I should have left then. I should have gotten Jenks and Ivy and gotten the hell out of there. But there I sat, my eyes fixated stupidly at the man on the stage. My heart beat in time with him as he sang. I'd never heard him sing before. The Turn take it, I wish I never had.

_I felt all flushed with fever_

_Embarrassed by the crowd_

_I felt he found my letters_

_And read each one out loud_

_I prayed that he would finish_

_But he just kept right on_

My jaw dropped as I heard what he said. He made me sound like some kind of monster to these people, like every problem he ever had was because of me. Maybe some of it was my doing, but there is no way that I helped him dig the kind of hole he was standing in.

My heart hammered in my chest as I looked around the room. I could swear I saw other patrons steal glances back at me. They knew. I can't tell you how, but I knew. I jerked into motion. The chair fell backwards with a clatter that drew more attention then I could handle.

Nick didn't pause with his song, but his eyes were on me. And he was _smiling_. That bastard.

I heard Jenks call me from the rafters, but I couldn't wait for him. Ivy was there somewhere, listening along with the crowd. She would take care of him, and I had to get out of there. The things he told those people. Things that only a lover should ever know or someone who was very close. He had been both to me. I had been so stupid.

I rushed from the night club into the freezing air as the music from inside floated out before the heavy door deluded the song to a mere murmur. I couldn't have been in there for more then ten minutes, but it felt like hours. The cold wind blew on my face pushing my hair from my face, and made my cheeks burn cold. I don't even know when I had started crying.

I was going to make him pay for this. I knew someone he owed a favor to, someone that partially owned him; partially owned me. They would pay dearly for him. Hell, I could probably buy my freedom by giving Nick away.

He was going to regret making me cry, again. I would see to it. One way or another, I would be free of the rat and the demon both. Soon.

_Strumming my pain with his fingers_

_Singing my life with his words_

_Killing me softly with his song_

_Killing me softly with his song_

I hope you liked it! R&R! This is my first story posted here so any help would be awesome! Also, I have another version of "Killing Me Softly" coming soon!


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